Fulbright US Student Awards

What's on offer

Fulbright US student awards (approximately €16,000) enable US postgraduate students to spend one academic year studying or researching in Ireland.  The Fulbright Commission invites applications from all disciplines including the visual and performing arts and deaf studies.

How to apply

US Students apply through The Institute of International Education (IIE) which annually advertises and short-lists candidates.  The Fulbright Commission in Ireland makes recommendations to the J. William Fulbright Scholarship Board that makes the final selection.  Awards are usually made between March and May before the relevant academic year.

US students interested in applying to Ireland should see http://us.fulbrightonline.org/home.html (located on the IIE website) for further information and to access the application.  US student applicants are encouraged to contact the Fulbright Commission for advice on their project proposals, academic programs, admission processes and institutional affiliations.

Timeline/Deadline

• The competition for the 2012 – 2013 academic year is now closed
• The competition for 2013-2014 will open in on May 1st 2012.

There are 3 types of grants for US students to Ireland

X1 Fulbright Full Grant in any discipline

Northern Ireland Except for the Irish Language Grant listed below, students wishing to do study or research in Northern Ireland must apply through the United Kingdom.

Language English, unless the student wishes to study the Irish language or requires access to old Irish manuscripts. See Fulbright Full Grant in Irish Language below.

Grant period 9 months. Two semesters, September to December and January to May.

Candidate profile All degree levels and disciplines including deaf studies, visual and performing arts are encouraged.

Affiliation Applicants are responsible for establishing their own institutional affiliations. The Fulbright Commission in Ireland can assist with developing projects and identifying relevant programs, colleges and cultural institutions.

Tuition Some colleges have agreed to tuition waivers for Fulbright students; see Fulbright Full Grant for a Taught Master’s Program below. For programs not included, the Commission will explore tuition waivers for successful candidates. If a waiver is not offered, the grantee is responsible for any tuition costs. Students conducting independent research are not normally liable for tuition.

X1 Fulbright Full Grant in the Irish Language

Grant period 11 months, mid-July to mid-to-late June, including a one month language immersion program in an Irish-speaking (Gaeltacht) region followed by a 9-month post-graduate degree through Irish in a relevant Irish university/college.

Candidate profile All degree levels are considered. Students must have competency in the Irish language and would benefit from previous exposure/coursework in Irish studies or literature.

Affiliation Candidates will need to apply for admission/enroll in a recognized Gaeltacht summer program and post-graduate degree. The Fulbright Commission will assist with/advise on this process.

Tuition Some colleges have agreed to tuition waivers for Fulbright students; see Fulbright Full Grant for a Taught Master’s Program. For programs not included, the Commission will explore tuition waivers for successful candidates. If a waiver is not offered the grantee is responsible for any tuition costs.

X1 Fulbright Full Grant for a Taught Masters Program

Language Language English, unless the student wishes to study Irish language manuscripts.

Grant period 9 months. Two semesters, September to December and January to May.

Candidate profile Students wishing to enroll in a taught Master’s Program that builds on previous academic work or assists in future academic study are preferred.

Affiliation Candidates will need to apply for admission/enroll in a Master’s Program offered by one of the following institutions:

1.       Dublin City University (http://www.dcu.ie/ ): any one year Masters Program across its three Faculties.

2.        Dublin Institute of Technology (http://www.dit.ie/ ): the MMus in Performance or the MA in Criminology.

3.        Dundalk Institute of Technology (http://ww2.dkit.ie/ ): the Masters of Arts/Science in Music Technology or the Master of Science in Renewable Energies.

4.        National University of Ireland Galway (http://www.nuigalway.ie/ ): any of the one year Masters Programs in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies.

5.        National University of Ireland Maynooth (http://www.nuim.ie/ ): any of the one year Masters Programs offered by Faculty of Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy.

6.        Trinity College Dublin (http://www.tcd.ie/ ): any of the advanced degree programs in the School of Drama, Film and Music; the School of English; the School of Histories and Humanities; and the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures; most programs in the School of Linguistics, Speech and Communications Sciences; the School of Religion, Theology and Ecumenics and some Philosophy programs; the School of Social Sciences and Philosophy.

7.        University College Cork (http://www.ucc.ie/ ): any one year taught Masters Program in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science and the College of Business and Law.

8.        University College Dublin (http://www.ucd.ie/) ; the MA in History, MA in the History of the Media, MA in Medieval Studies and the MA in the Social and Cultural History of Medicine.

9.        University of Limerick (http://www.ul.ie/ ): any of the taught Masters Programs in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

NOTE: Irish higher education institutions interested in offering placement to a US Fulbright student and or waiving tuition for a successful US Fulbright student for the 2013 academic year should submit an expression of interest to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it